Don Pardo, Voice of ‘Saturday Night Live,’ Dead at 96

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Announcer Don Pardo, known for his famous introduction to NBC’s Saturday Night Live, speaks to CNN at the 2010 Academy of Television Arts and Sciences’ Hall of Fame induction ceremony. (CNN)

NEW YORK, New York – Don Pardo, the announcer whose baritone voice introduced “Saturday Night Live” hosts on NBC for decades, has died at age 96, the network announced.

In a tweet, “NBC Nightly News” described Pardo as legendary.

Though best known as the voice of the weekly sketch comedy program, Pardo previously had a role in a very serious story. “As the NBC staff announcer on Nov. 22, 1963, he was among the first to tell the nation about the assassination attempt on President John F. Kennedy,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.